Red Bull chief Helmut Marko said he was 'very surprised' when it was announced that Max Verstappen had been crowned world champion after his win at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Data experts thought that Verstappen would be a point short of that required to win the title with four races remaining and were left reading through the rules to see if full points would be awarded for the 28-lap race.
Despite championship rival Charles Leclerc receiving a penalty dropping him from second to third Red Bull thought that Verstappen would still be a single point short if awarded 19 points instead of 25 for the shortened race win.
“We only found out when the speaker was saying congratulations for the world championship because our strategist said we were one point behind (the tally needed),” said Marko. "So it was a big surprise, but a very nice surprise."
Ruling body, the FIA, clarified that the reduced points rule only applies to races that are suspended and can't be resumed. While the Japanese Grand Prix was delayed starting the race was still going at the end of F1's two-hour race time limit.
The confusion meant that Dutch driver Verstappen was also left in the dark about his second world championship win.
He added: “I realised that Checo ( Sergio Perez) was second instead of Charles (Leclerc) but I didn’t know if it was full points, half points or 75% points because you’re reading through the rules,” said Verstappen.
“Then Tom (Wood, FIA media delegate) came to me and said that I was world champion and then suddenly people were saying ‘no, you still need a point´.”
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Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto vowed to protest against the decision to hit Leclerc with a five-second penalty for pushing Perez wide on the final lap of the Japanese GP. The penalty, which the FIA quickly decided on, knocked Leclerc down to third behind Perez and handed Verstappen the title.
Speaking to Sky Italy, the Ferrari team principal said: "How fast FIA took the decision to sanction Leclerc, it is ridiculous and unacceptable. Last race it took them an infinite number of laps to make a nonsense decision. We will protest in the appropriate offices."
